Swapping out pickups on my rr3

[guitarsjb]

DiMarzio X2N I have them in my RR5 and RR1.

[toejam]

Offhand I'd say the JB in the bridge, but it's already there. What don't you like about it?

Probably the fact he's looking for scooped mids, and the JB has plenty of midrange. A DiMarzio Steve's Special would work for that.
And for the neck, a Super 2 has more treble and less bass.

[toejam]

I like the pearly gates and jazz in the neck for cleans and crunch tones. I don't find the jazz bass heavy in my RR1 but I guess it's technically a bright guitar.

The Jazz is a bright pickup to begin with.

[Danzo]

SH-5 Custom or SH-14 Custom 5 in the bridge. (Probably the SH-5 for a bit more output.)
Full shred is a gret neck pickup if you only use the neck for distorted leads. It has a single coil clarity in a humbicking package. I like the pearly gates and jazz in the neck for cleans and crunch tones. I don't find the jazz bass heavy in my RR1 but I guess it's technically a bright guitar.

Huh? he asked for a scooped mid one, but the listing on the SH-5/TB-5 is 8 mids.

Any idea if the TB-5 is just as good for metal as the D.Distortion? (sh6)
Is the SH6 also capable of smooth leads ala Marty Friedman style? Marty seemed to use TB4 I think.
Some of the high gain pickups sound screechy for leads and have a brittle sound on cleans as well, but I won't be using the bridge for cleans so it doesn't matter.

It's a battle between Tb5 and SH6, but none of the guitar stores have both models to try out. I'm totally dependent on forum opinions and Youtube for answers.

does it work like this?
Tb4 least distorted, TB5 inbetween, and SH6 is most distorted?
Tb5 the fattest? According to the SD site and the Youtube videos thats the only conclusion I could draw.

[MartinBarre]

Huh? he asked for a scooped mid one, but the listing on the SH-5/TB-5 is 8 mids.

Any idea if the TB-5 is just as good for metal as the D.Distortion? (sh6)
Is the SH6 also capable of smooth leads ala Marty Friedman style? Marty seemed to use TB4 I think.
Some of the high gain pickups sound screechy for leads and have a brittle sound on cleans as well, but I won't be using the bridge for cleans so it doesn't matter.

It's a battle between Tb5 and SH6, but none of the guitar stores have both models to try out. I'm totally dependent on forum opinions and Youtube for answers.

does it work like this?
Tb4 least distorted, TB5 inbetween, and SH6 is most distorted?
Tb5 the fattest? According to the SD site and the Youtube videos thats the only conclusion I could draw.

I would say, in use, all three are going to have similar output. The Distortion does have a wee bit more, but not a huge amount.
I had an SH5 at one point but didn't keep it very long so won't comment too much on it.
The TB-4 is the best for doing leads. The SH-6 (or TB-6) has tighter bass response than the TB4 so if you're doing a lot of palm mutes and stuff the TB6 is probably the better option.
To be honest, the TB4 and TB6 are both great pickups, I have two of each in my guitars and love them both. I'd use the TB4 for stuff like Maiden, Leppard, Priest etc and the TB6 for stuff like Anthrax, old Metallica or death metal.


BTW - Duncan pickups are classed as SH or TB. A SH-4 is the same as a TB-4 but the TB is designed for a guitar with a trem. It's not necessary to put a TB in a guitar with a trem but it does line up a little better.
So get either a TB4 or TB6 (or TB5 if you want that) rather than the SH models, unless you find a good deal on one.

This might help - I did a short cover of "Symphony of Destruction" using various pickups. This track has, first the TB4, then the Duncan A2Pro, then the SH6.

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7736573

[Danzo]

I would say, in use, all three are going to have similar output. The Distortion does have a wee bit more, but not a huge amount.
I had an SH5 at one point but didn't keep it very long so won't comment too much on it.
The TB-4 is the best for doing leads. The SH-6 (or TB-6) has tighter bass response than the TB4 so if you're doing a lot of palm mutes and stuff the TB6 is probably the better option.
To be honest, the TB4 and TB6 are both great pickups, I have two of each in my guitars and love them both. I'd use the TB4 for stuff like Maiden, Leppard, Priest etc and the TB6 for stuff like Anthrax, old Metallica or death metal.


BTW - Duncan pickups are classed as SH or TB. A SH-4 is the same as a TB-4 but the TB is designed for a guitar with a trem. It's not necessary to put a TB in a guitar with a trem but it does line up a little better.
So get either a TB4 or TB6 (or TB5 if you want that) rather than the SH models, unless you find a good deal on one.

This might help - I did a short cover of "Symphony of Destruction" using various pickups. This track has, first the TB4, then the Duncan A2Pro, then the SH6.
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7736573

Ah good stuff man. I can see why people like you here on the forum, you're very helpful in a plethora of items.

Actually, whatever it is the 3 demonstrations are pretty damn close to each other, like i'd say each one is a "TWEAK" more than a stark difference in voicing. If you didn't tell me they were different and I wasn't really focused I wouldn't know they were any different. The JB and DD sound most similar and the A2 pro with a hair less bite. The sound the DD makes is just a hair tighter and a hair distorted more on your palm mute in that demonstration, both being pretty distorted sounding.

Edit_ seems like your Kelly with JB on your main page sounds more middy. Did you change the settings or is it the voicing of your guitar alone? I have a Kelly so I want to know if thats what I should expect for the sound..

Wouldn't it just be easy to say the DD can imitate the JB by reducing gain or guitar volume a hair then?

Now if you switched from Duncans to EMG's in a demonstration you can hear a difference without focus due to the picking dynamics. I think the way Megadeth plays, the Duncans are most suitable.
Edit_ Went to your main page, yeah, the EMGs don't sound right for Megadeth stuff, but more for Metallica.

How do you like the DD for lead playing since you mention the JB for lead playing? Some people were saying the DD is actually much more versatile than its reputation suggests.

And a side note, you have Phil Collins in your avatar, then I saw your soundclick.. i see the reason now

[MartinBarre]

Ah good stuff man. I can see why people like you here on the forum, you're very helpful in a plethora of items.

People like me? Who?!

Actually, whatever it is the 3 demonstrations are pretty damn close to each other, like i'd say each one is a "TWEAK" more than a stark difference in voicing. If you didn't tell me they were different and I wasn't really focused I wouldn't know they were any different. The JB and DD sound most similar and the A2 pro with a hair less bite. The sound the DD makes is just a hair tighter and a hair distorted more on your palm mute in that demonstration, both being pretty distorted sounding.

Exactly. That's how I see it too.

Edit_ seems like your Kelly with JB on your main page sounds more middy. Did you change the settings or is it the voicing of your guitar alone? I have a Kelly so I want to know if thats what I should expect for the sound..

Not sure. I don't know which clip you mean here. I tend to keep similar settings, but I'm really not sure. I just swapped the JB in that Kelly for a Distortion too.

Wouldn't it just be easy to say the DD can imitate the JB by reducing gain or guitar volume a hair then?

Not really. The JB lead tone is always going to be a little better thanks to it's more pronounced mids, while the DD is always going to be that hair tighter. But yeah, I don't think they're THAT much different. It really depends what you want the pickup to do.

How do you like the DD for lead playing since you mention the JB for lead playing? Some people were saying the DD is actually much more versatile than its reputation suggests.

The DD is great for leads, but I do prefer the JB. The JB seems to "sing" more. A good reason Marty uses them. The DD is certainly more versatile than it might seem though. I have another one in a strat copy with coil split and it works great split with the middle single coil, really nice notch tones from it. EDIT - I just remembered, the Kelly has coil split on both pickups too. Two Duncan Distortions, and they clean up really, really well in the middle position especially.

And a side note, you have Phil Collins in your avatar, then I saw your soundclick.. i see the reason now

It has been suggested, by assholes, and my wife (also an asshole), that I look a little bit like Phil Collins, only taller, better built, and much more handsome.
Fuck Phil Collins AND that cunt Buster. I think I look more like Phil COLLEN, and my 21 month old daughter seems to agree since any time I watch a Phil Collen vid on Youtube my daughter says "Daddy" and nods her head.

So fuck Phil Collins! I look much more like ANOTHER balding rock star who's about 15 years older than me!

[Danzo]

People like me? Who?!

Exactly. That's how I see it too.

Not sure. I don't know which clip you mean here. I tend to keep similar settings, but I'm really not sure. I just swapped the JB in that Kelly for a Distortion too.

Not really. The JB lead tone is always going to be a little better thanks to it's more pronounced mids, while the DD is always going to be that hair tighter. But yeah, I don't think they're THAT much different. It really depends what you want the pickup to do.


The DD is great for leads, but I do prefer the JB. The JB seems to "sing" more. A good reason Marty uses them. The DD is certainly more versatile than it might seem though. I have another one in a strat copy with coil split and it works great split with the middle single coil, really nice notch tones from it. EDIT - I just remembered, the Kelly has coil split on both pickups too. Two Duncan Distortions, and they clean up really, really well in the middle position especially.

It has been suggested, by assholes, and my wife (also an asshole), that I look a little bit like Phil Collins, only taller, better built, and much more handsome.
Fuck Phil Collins AND that cunt Buster. I think I look more like Phil COLLEN, and my 21 month old daughter seems to agree since any time I watch a Phil Collen vid on Youtube my daughter says "Daddy" and nods her head.

So fuck Phil Collins! I look much more like ANOTHER balding rock star who's about 15 years older than me!

Lol about Phil man. I thought you put him in your avatar since you like him. But, I wouldn't have really thought of him unless you put him in your avatar, since its only a resemblance in your head shape and skin tone, nothing more.

So what you're suggesting is that the DD is a bit better in palm muted rhythms while the JB is a hair better in the lead playing? I hope thats right.
I was referring to this http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...songID=7754723 You have it listed on your mainpage but there is a big difference in low mids compared to your other JB comparisons.

In person I've only tried a well set up Kelly and Rhoads with a JB. I thought it was easy to get harmonics and bends tending to sing without effort. I thought I sounded better than I actually was lol. It was fun to play those guitars so Jackson really lives up to its name for me.The tone of duncans are quite distinct over other pickups. The way Megadeth has it setup, you can hear the duncan tone.

In this video, I asked him a question..he suggests that the tb4, tb5 and tb6 are all great pickups but he likes the Tb5 a little more. It sounds pretty sick on the cleans, solos and fat rhythm.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJeHTAlrGGA

[Spivonious]

Probably the fact he's looking for scooped mids, and the JB has plenty of midrange. A DiMarzio Steve's Special would work for that.
And for the neck, a Super 2 has more treble and less bass.

I'm not sure if you're joking or not...maybe my JB is different, but it is all bass and highs. :think:

As far as JB vs DD...I always thought they were the same pickup but Alnico vs Ceramic. The DD is a tad more compressed sounding and tighter to my ears. The JB is more full sounding and does give a nice ring.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

So fuck Phil Collins! I look much more like ANOTHER balding rock star who's about 15 years older than me!

Colin Hay?

:ROTF:

[MartinBarre]

So what you're suggesting is that the DD is a bit better in palm muted rhythms while the JB is a hair better in the lead playing? I hope thats right.

Exactly.

I was referring to this http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...songID=7754723 You have it listed on your mainpage but there is a big difference in low mids compared to your other JB comparisons.

I dunno, I recorded a lot of different guitars for that, so I'm not sure about each track now. I do know the Kelly seemed somehow looser than the other two JB equipped guitars, but I don't know if that was a wiring thing or what. The Kelly has no tone control, the other two do. The Kelly also has a push pull pot to split the pickups, that may contribute to the tone differences as well. It certainly didn't seem as tight as the DK2M, one of the reasons why I swapped the JB for a Distortion.

In this video, I asked him a question..he suggests that the tb4, tb5 and tb6 are all great pickups but he likes the Tb5 a little more. It sounds pretty sick on the cleans, solos and fat rhythm.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJeHTAlrGGA

Pickup choice is a personal thing. A lot of things are coming into the equation - amp, guitar wood, pedals, personal playing style etc.

SH4, SH5, SH6 are all going to sound pretty similar and will be liked more or less by everyone who tries them. You're gonna have to try them yourself.

[MartinBarre]

Colin Hay?

:ROTF:

Colin who? I'm a Brit, I have no idea what the fuck you're on about.

This guy?
I don't get it.

[Danzo]

Exactly.


I dunno, I recorded a lot of different guitars for that, so I'm not sure about each track now. I do know the Kelly seemed somehow looser than the other two JB equipped guitars, but I don't know if that was a wiring thing or what. The Kelly has no tone control, the other two do. The Kelly also has a push pull pot to split the pickups, that may contribute to the tone differences as well. It certainly didn't seem as tight as the DK2M, one of the reasons why I swapped the JB for a Distortion.

Pickup choice is a personal thing. A lot of things are coming into the equation - amp, guitar wood, pedals, personal playing style etc.

SH4, SH5, SH6 are all going to sound pretty similar and will be liked more or less by everyone who tries them. You're gonna have to try them yourself.

Hmm very interesting man. I don't think my older Kelly has a push pull thing yet it has no tone control, either. Hmm the wood is also Poplar so I don't know if I'll have that "lazy bass" like what you experienced in your alder one. And also lazy bass is the opposite of what Alder is typically characterized as. Maybe you were right about the wiring job who knows?

The thing with those 3 pickups 4, 5, 6 yeah I think they are basically one family of triplets and have subtle differences. If I put all 3 in a hat, and picked one I don't think I'd be unhappy. I can't really try any of these out since the 4 guitar stores around me don't have guitars equipped with TB6 or TB5, and very few even had TB4. The duncan designed version of TB6 sounded like ass, that did not sound like a Seymour.

I really want something thick, can handle distortion well and that will sing too in melody. Seymour Duncan seems to the brand that can answer this call.

Oh I've listened to the Dave mustaine pickups (active version of JB) and damn it has the sickest sound. Its like a marriage of EMG and JB. As in no compromises of either weakness. A lot of tone, has warm clean sound but its very heavy and melodic and tight. For my second guitar I want those installed without a doubt on a mahogany body.

I really appreciate the help here, I'm sure OP appreciates it too.

[MetalHeadMat]

I swapped out the bridge for an OBL L500XL and in the neck I'm putting a Duncan Invader. But that's if you want a true metal tone.

[MartinBarre]

I swapped out the bridge for an OBL L500XL and in the neck I'm putting a Duncan Invader. But that's if you want a true metal tone.

The Invader neck pickup is a waste of time.